A Father's Love
by HeidiBug731
Summary: When Ron Weasley discovers his daughter is dating Draco Malfoy's son, Ron will have nothing to do with it. But when the words of his wife, sister, and best friend can't sooth him, will his daughter's be enough? Written post DH.
1. The Arrival

Rose came running down the stairs, a letter clutched in her hand. "Mom, I-"

There was a knock at the door. Rose froze her tracks, her breath catching in her throat. She had a pretty good idea who that was.

"Rose, darling, will you get the door?" came her mother's voice from the living room.

"Eh . . . sure, mum." Rose swallowed and gripped the letter tightly. There was no point showing it her parents now.

She walked to the front door of their house and pulled the door open. Scorpius Malfoy stood on the doorstep with his Hogwarts trunk and some additional luggage.

"Hi." He smiled at her. "Can I come in?"

* * *

><p>It was the most awkward position Scorpius thought he had ever been in, worse even than the situation he'd just left. "I was hoping my letter would get to you sooner," he explained to the Weasleys as he sat with them at their dining room table. If it had, it might have eased some of the tension Scorpius could feel coming his way from Rose's father.<p>

"So, your father threw you out?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"Yes, Sr. I mean," Scorpius hesitated. It was a little more than that. "He disowned me."

Rose took his hand and squeezed it.

"So you have nothing?" asked Mr. Weasley.

Scorpius thought he saw Mrs. Weasley kick her husband under the table. "I mean, I have my bank account at Gringotts, I think. My grandmother set that up for me. She dotes on me; I'm her only grandchild. I would hope my relationship with Rose wouldn't cause her too . . ."

It was the first time the full consequences of his decision had hit him. He'd know his father would overreact, and he expected, or rather hoped, his father would eventually come around. But he realized now it wasn't just his father he had to worry about, but his entire family. What if his mother didn't bring his father around? What if his grandmother shut off his inheritance and cleaned out his Gringotts account? What if he literally had nothing?

"Hogwarts tuition," he gasped. "Is paid in full for this year, so . . . that's good." He tried to compose himself in front of the Weasleys as he realized his family really could cut him off forever and refuse to ever see or speak to him. They could be a bunch of prats sometimes, but they were his family and he loved them.

Rose squeezed his hand even more tightly, and he couldn't have been more thankful for her presence.

"How long are you planning on staying?" Mr. Wealsey did not sound very welcoming, and Mrs. Weasley visibility shot him a look.

"I can go to the Leaky Cauldron if it's an inconvenience," Scorpius said, assuming his bank account still existed. "I just wanted to see Rose." Scorpius turned to see her smiling face. She leaned toward him and kissed him on the cheek.

A blast of air forced the two of them apart.

"Ronald Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley scolded. Her husband stared back her. "Leave this table at once!"

Mr. Weasley looked taken aback. He hung his head momentarily, raised it to shoot Scorpius a threatening look, then took his plate and walked off into the living room.

"So sorry about that," said Mrs. Weasley, turning to Scorpius. "We have a strict no-magic-at-the-table policy." She smiled at her two children for whom, no doubt, the rule had been set.

"Scorpius." Mrs. Weasley rose from her seat and walked down the length of the table to embrace him. He appreciated the gesture, but she wasn't the one he wanted a hug from right now. "You are welcome to stay as long as you need, even up to the first day of school."

"Thank you," he said.

"Rose, darling," she leaned over to her to speak more quietly. "I'll work on your father."

Rose smiled. "Thanks, mum."

* * *

><p>Rose showed Scorpius the guest room where he dropped off his trunk and additional suitcase. It scared her a little to think it might be all he had. "Are you all right?"<p>

He was standing looking out the window, and he sighed. Rose walked up to him and hugged him. She was surprised when she heard him sniffle into her shoulder.

"I'm okay," he said, pulling back from her and wiping his eyes. "I'm fine."

She took his hand. "Come sit with me."

They sat on the bed and she put an arm around him. He leaned his head on her shoulder. "I thought my father would come around," he told her. "Now I . . . I'm not so sure."

She rubbed his back. "I'm sorry, Scorpius. When I asked you to tell your parents, I wasn't expecting they would react this way. I mean, daddy didn't speak to me for a few days and that was rough. But I honestly never considered that your parents would act more drastically."

"It's not your fault," he said, turning to her. He raised a hand to caress her hair. "I'd rather be here with you anyway."

He kissed her gently. She kissed him back, tightening her arms around him. And for several wonderful minutes, the stupidity of their parents was forgotten.

* * *

><p>The children having all gone upstairs, Hermione returned to her husband in the living room. She had to remind herself that they weren't children anymore. Soon they would be adults, graduating from Hogwarts, and off to make it on their own.<p>

"You left her alone with him?" Ron demanded, breaking into her thoughts as she entered the room.

Hermione scoffed. "Ron, she's perfectly capable."

"She's sixteen." He paced the room, his wand drawn. "She doesn't know what she's doing."

"She knows better than you do."

He stopped walking. "What's that supposed mean?"

"Your behavior tonight was completely deplorable."

"My - my behavior?"

"Yes, your behavior." She crossed her arms.

"H-Hermione, he showed up on our doorstep-"

"Because his parents threw him out," she finished for him. "Doesn't that tell you anything?"

Ron shook his head, but it was more a gesture to indicate that he thought the topic was irrelevant than to show he didn't understand.

Hermione explained for him anyway. "It means that he cares about her enough to defy his parents."

"Or he's lying!" said Ron enthusiastically, apparently believing he had some evidence against Scorpius. He rubbed his hands together. "I'd like to see what's in that bank account. I bet they haven't cut him off at all."

"Rose and Scorpius have been dating since May," Hermione continued to cut though his thoughts. "They waited till they got home to tell us because they were both worried about how their parents would react. Doesn't that upset you? That Rose thinks you'll judge her by who she is dating? That she thinks you don't trust she's levelheaded enough to choose someone who is right for her?"

"I don't trust her," said Ron. "Not in this case. She chose wrong." He resumed his pacing.

"How do you know when you won't take the time to get to know the boy?"

"I don't need to get to know him."

"He's not Draco Malfoy, Ron," she reminded him. "He's Draco Malfoy's son."

Ron shook his head again. "That doesn't make him any better."

"It doesn't make him the same or any worse. It just means he's a different person, a person who Rose chose." Hermione uncrossed her arms and took a few steps toward her husband. "Rose, our baby girl, extremely intelligent and kindhearted, chose Draco Malfoy's son."

Ron stopped his pacing and turned toward his wife. "He's brainwashed her."

Hermione sighed. This conversation was going nowhere. "Fine. Let's say he did. For what purpose? To sabotage her grades?"

Ron fought for words to respond. "M-maybe."

"Ronald."

"What?"

Hermione crossed her arms again. "Draco Malfoy wouldn't have dated Ginny to sabogate your family. It would have been too great a blow to his reputation. So we can rule out sabotage for Scorpius dating our daughter." She leaned in toward him. "And the only other explaination is . . . ?" She waited for him to finish.

"He's trying to get into her pants," said Ron, marching toward the stairs. "I can't believe you left them alone together."

"Ronald!" yelled Hermione in frustration. She grabbed his arm. "Are you forgetting they've had three months together already? If they really wanted to - oh! Nevermind." She threw up her hands. "I'm owling Harry and Ginny."

Ron stopped in his tracks. "Wha - why? You don't need to-"

"Ooh, yes I do."

She left her husband alone in the room. As she walked away, she could hear him casting separation spells at the floor above him. "Ron," she tried. "You do realize that's-"

There was a clatter and a crash, and Hugo's voice could be heard from above as Ron's eyes widened. In his frustration, he had forgotten it was his son's room above his head and not his daughter's.

"Dad!" yelled Hugo. "What _are_ you doing?"

* * *

><p><strong>This is a sequel to "Anything You Can Do," which explores how Rose and Scorpius' relationship started. You can find it on my profile.<strong>


	2. The Potters

Scorpius awoke to tapping on the window. He rose from the guest bed and froze when he looked out the window. His grandmother's Tawny owl sat perched outside, a letter in its beak. It took him a moment to realize he was not at home. He was at the Weasley's, and the letter from his grandmother could only mean one thing.

He forced himself to the window. The owl flew inside and landed on the bedside table, dropping the letter onto it. Dreading every sentence, Scorpius opened it.

_Dearest Scorpius,_

_You father has informed me of your relations with the Weasley girl. You, of course, know the nature of her bloodline and should thus understand your family's concern._

_In light of these events, I have had the unfortunate duty of locking your Gringotts account. You will not be able to withdraw from it without the presence of me or your mother or father._

_Rest assured I understand the furrows of youthful love and know how easily it can cloud one's judgment. Please respond so we can clear up this regrettable matter. _

_Sincerely, your grandmother,_

_Narcissa Malfoy_

Scorpius sighed. She was ever proper. He had just taken out a quill and some parchment when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," he said.

Rose peeked her head in as he knew she would. "Ready for breakfast?" Her eyes went to the quill in his hand and her smile dropped. "What's going on?"

He smiled weakly at her. "My grandmother locked my account."

"Oh." She walked toward him and looked down at the letter on his desk.

"You won't like it," he said, but he handed it to her anyway. He turned to compose his response as she read.

_Dearest grandmother,_

_Thank you for your kind concern. Let me put you at ease and assure you that I am not ill, deranged, or in any way mentally compromised. Rose and I have been dating happily since late April and I have every intention of continuing our relationship. This is not subject to change due to any displeasures my family might carry or enforce._

_Thank you for informing me regarding my Gringotts account. I will make a point not to stop there when visiting Diagon Alley this August. To ease your worries regarding my mode of living, I would have you know the Weasleys have graciously offered their home to me. You need not worry about me wanting for anything._

_Send my regards to my parents._

_All my love, your grandson,_

_Scorpius Malfoy_

He looked up at Rose as he finished.

"I'm so sorry, Scorpius," she said. "I feel like this is my fault."

He shook his head as he stood up to give the letter to his grandmother's owl. "Don't worry about it."

She said nothing as he as he closed the window, the owl having flown from the room.

"So," he said, forcing a smile. He slid his hand in hers and the frown on her face gently turned upward. "How about breakfast?"

* * *

><p>Breakfast was similar to dinner the night before, with Mr. Weasley sending unhappy glances toward Rose and Scorpius. However, it seemed Mrs. Weasley had separated her husband from his wand, so Rose and Scorpius didn't have to worry about receiving any magical outbursts from it.<p>

After breakfast, Hugo challenged Scorpius to a game of Wizard Chess. Scorpius had played chess with his father many times and considered himself a good player, but he was utterly humbled when Hugo beat him in less than two minutes on the first game.

"That's my boy!" cried Mr. Weasley triumphantly.

Scorpius didn't miss Rose's hurt glance at her father.

"Darling," said Mrs. Weasley. "Why don't you help me with the dishes?" She pulled her husband out of the room before he could reply.

Scorpius played several more games with Hugo, all of which he lost miserably.

"I could slow up a bit," Hugo suggested. "I don't really get to play anyone besides dad." He shrugged sadly. "I know it's not fun to lose constantly."

"Oh, no," said Scorpius smiling. It was frustrating in part, but he could tell it meant a lot to Hugo to have someone else to play against. "I like a good challenge."

Rose rubbed his shoulder appreciatively.

After Scorpius suffered through a few more lost games, Rose dragged him out of the house for a walk around the neighborhood.

"It's mostly muggle families," she explained as they walked hand and hand down the sidewalk. "But there's a good number of wizarding families here too. Mom wanted us to grow up with an understanding of both cultures."

"Does the Ministry of Magic ever show up?" Scorpius asked, imagining all the chaos that could ensue with wizarding families trying to grow together yet live in secret within a muggle community."

"Very rarely," said Rose. "For the most part, the muggles here are used to 'strange things' happening." She chuckled. "When I was five, I made a flower bloom in front of our neighbor down the street. She just shook her head and kept on walking."

Scorpius laughed.

They made it to the playground at the back of the neighborhood, and they talked and played on the swings. Then they headed back home for lunch.

* * *

><p>Scorpius had heard stories of Harry Potter, of course. Every witch and wizard knew the legend of the baby who Lord Voldemort couldn't kill and who grew up to later defeat the same Dark Lord at the age of seventeen. With all of that, Scorpius would never have imagined just how <em>normal <em>Harry Potter really seemed.

Scorpius hardly ate anything the whole time the Potter and Weasley families sat down to lunch. He was too mesmerized by this man who was so absolutely famous and yet so absolutely just another dad. Upon sitting down to eat, Mr. Potter chided his two sons for greeting their Aunt and Uncle with a spray of confetti. "No wands at the table!"

Though James and Al had to hand over their wands, everyone laughed. Even Mrs. Weasley, who had to wipe confetti squares off the lunch meat, laughed. Scorpius could tell the Weasleys and Potters genuinely enjoyed each other's company. It was like the two families were really one, separated only by last names.

"Scorpius!" greeted Al, embracing him. Scorpius and Al had become rather good friends in the past few months, and Scorpius greeted him back just as enthusiastically.

Once the rambunctiousness and general joy of seeing everyone again had died down, everyone finally started passing around the food to eat. The majority of the conversation consisted of the adults catching up whatever they had missed since they had last seen each other. Scorpius would have been glad to not be the subject of Mr. Weasley's attention for once had he not been so mesmerized by how un-legendary Mr. Potter seemed. Eventually he remembered he was hungry and looked down to find that Rose had made his sandwich for him.

She smiled. "Typical reaction from everyone who meets my uncle." She looked uncertainly at his sandwich. "You like mustard, right?"

He smiled, nodded, and kissed her forehead in gratitude. He took a bite of turkey sandwich and busied himself by talking with Rose and Al. Eventually Mr. and Mrs. Potter got to asking him questions, such as how he was doing with school and how he was enjoying his stay with the Weasley's. Scorpius was grateful they avoided asking him about his family or Rose.

When lunch ended, the adults left the table to sit and talk in the living room. Scorpius, Al, and Rose went to the guestroom to swap stories of their summer. Lily, James, and Hugo left to hang out in the yard.

For Scoripus it was like being back at Hogwarts, surrounded by his friends and oblivious to his family's drama. But then, after what hadn't seemed like very long but what really must have been a couple hours, Mr. Potter knocked on the bedroom door. "Sorry, but could I borrow Scoripus for a minute?"

Scorpius looked uncertainly at Rose who smiled at him in encouragement.

He reluctantly left his friends and followed Mr. Potter downstairs and out into the back yard. Hugo, Lily, and James had left the area and were supposedly wondering the neighborhood.

"I apologize for dragging you away," said Mr. Potter. "But I didn't want to put pressure on you at lunch by bringing up the conversation then."

"I appreciate that, sir." Scorpius said, truly grateful. He could all too easily imagine the eyes of both families on him while he answered questions regarding his relationship with Rose.

"However," Mr. Potter continued. "Before we get to the topic at hand, I want to talk about your parents."

Scorpius felt his stomach drop. He would have rather talked about Rose.

"Hermione told me you were . . ." he paused, looking for a gentle word to use.

"Disowned." Scorpius finished for him.

He nodded. "I suppose you know I went to school with your father."

Scorpius nodded back. His father had told him stories about how the famous Harry Potter was not everything the legend jacked him up to be, though he had always wondered as to the validity of some of those stories.

"I don't know how much you were told," Mr. Potter continued, "but your family was there at the Battle of Hogwarts."

Scorpius nodded again. He hadn't heard any stories about that day from his father, but he knew his father had been there.

"Your grandparents denied Voldemort for you father," Mr. Potter said. "They refused to help Voldemort because they cared more about their family being safe than about anything else Voldemort could have promised them."

Scorpius had heard nothing about this. He wanted more details, but he suspected Mr. Potter was being vague on purpose.

"It's a situation that should be discussed with your father," Mr. Potter said, noticing Scorpius' interest. "But I wanted to tell you I have personally seen that your family cares more for each other than anything else in the world. Right now they are falling back on values of tradition and bloodlines. But that won't hold out forever. They care about you very much, and they aren't going to let you be separated from them for long. They will come along, you'll see."

Scorpius turned away from Mr. Potter to hide his emotion. He knew his parents cared for him, but he also knew their devotion to tradition. It was hard for him to see which value would win out in the end, but Mr. Potter's speech had given him hope. "Thank you," he said.

Scorpius felt a hand fall on his shoulder. "When you are ready," said Mr. Potter. "We can talk about Rose."

Scorpius took a deep breath, thankful for the topic change. "I care about her a lot," he said once he'd gotten control of himself. "We've known each other since first year, and I think we were friends before we even realized it. And realizing we liked each other happened in much the same way."

Scorpius looked back at Mr. Potter, who was smiling. "I know my family history. I know the scandal that my parents see out of me and her dating. But I don't care. She means a lot to me, and I would never do anything to hurt her."

"I know." Mr. Potter patted him on the shoulder in satisfaction. "Why don't we go back inside?"

"Sir?" said Scorpius, standing his ground as Mr. Potter tried to escort him away.

"Hm?"

"I really do appreciate you taking the time to hear what I have to say, but this is a conversation I really would have rather had with her father."

"I know," said Mr. Potter again. "Believe me when I say we are working on it."

* * *

><p>"He seems like a nice boy," Ginny was saying to Ron as Harry rejoined them after letting Scourpius back upstairs. "I don't see why you are being so stubborn."<p>

"He's Draco Malfoy's son!" said Ron, and he sounded surprised that Ginny hadn't figured that one out. "Draco Malfoy!"

"Who was a git," said Harry, reentering the conversation. "But that doesn't mean his son has to be."

"Says the guy who named his son after Snape," said Ron. He crossed his arms. "Sorry, Harry if I don't trust your sense of judgment."

Harry had gotten a lot of flak from his Hogwarts friends for fighting to get Snape's portrait back in the Headmaster's office. And he'd gotten even more flak from his closest friends for naming Al after him. It amazed him that no matter how many times he explained why he had done it, Ron still didn't understand. Hermione at least said she understood, but judging by her tone whenever she acknowledged the middle name, Harry wasn't sure he believed her. Sometimes Harry forgot Hermione and Ron hadn't had the same experiences as he. There were some things they didn't understand, Ron especially. Whenever he remembered this, he was extremely thankful he had Ginny.

"You trust my judgment," said Hermione.

"M-most of the time," said Ron slowly and apologetically.

"His family turned against Voldemort," said Harry, trying to inject further evidence and to cut off Hermione's objection.

"Which is the only reason I haven't gone up there and ripped the two of them apart! The thought of my daughter dating the son of a Death Eater!" Ron rubbed his forehead. "Honestly, how can the three of you be okay with this?"

"Because we can't be thinking of ourselves," said Ginny. "All four of us grew up under the threat of Voldemort. We know what that's like. And we all knew Draco in one form or another. But those are our experiences, and we are not talking about us. We are talking about Rose and Scorpius. They grew up in a different world under different circumstances. We can't project our own experiences onto their situation."

Harry could have kissed her, and in fact he did.

"You should talk to him, Ron," said Ginny once Harry had extracted his lips from her cheek.

Ron sighed and looked at Harry. "What if he was dating Lily?"

"I'd be thrilled," said Harry honestly.

Ron shook his head. "You and your avocation for inter-House relations."

"Ron-" started Hermione.

"You know I have no problem with it." Ron told her. "Just why does Slytherin need to be involved?"

"So you're going to let your daughter date a Slytherin without asking him some questions first?" interjected Ginny.

"Oh, no," said Ron. "I see what you are doing. I'm not gonna fall for that one." He crossed his arms.

"You're not going to talk to him?" said Hermione. "Even though he's Slytherin?"

"No," said Ron. "I'm not."

Hermione sat back in her chair. "Then you are not worried at all about him being bad for her. Like you said, if you were worried, you wouldn't let him within an inch of her."

Ron looked at his wife, but didn't say anything.

"You're worried that the three of us are right." Hermione continued. "You are worried he might actually be good for her."

* * *

><p>"Are you all right?" asked Scorpius once he and Rose found some time alone after the Potters had left.<p>

She nodded, but sadly. He sat down next to her and took her hand. "What's wrong?"

"I'm really glad you got to meet my family," she said. He still didn't understand what was upsetting her.

"I'd really like to meet yours," she added.

"You will," he told her.

"But they won't want to meet me."

He hugged her because she looked near tears. He understood why it was paining her. Now that he had met her family, he understood just how close all of them were and how much they meant to her. He wished she could get to see that with his family. But it was hard, even for him, to imagine them welcoming her, though he knew it was within their power to do so.

"We'll think of something," was all he could say.


	3. The Children

Ron sat alone in one of the living room chairs. Hermione was visiting one of the neighbors and had suggested he stay at home. It was a tactic of hers that after a few years of marriage he realized was her way of telling him that he was being overly stubborn and he needed to sit and think on his own for a while.

It had been two weeks since Scorpius had come to their home, and still Ron hadn't directly spoken to him. He was sure that was what Hermione wanted him to think over. But he had thought it over and talked it over, not just with Hermione but with Harry and Ginny as well. He was tired of thinking it over.

Ron sighed and positioned his chair so he could see out the glass sliding door into the backyard. Rose and Hugo used to play out there constantly. Now, it was rarely touched. His children had grown up, gone off to Hogwarts, and they returned for the summers to retreat into their rooms. They were individuals, able to stand on their own.

He wanted them small again and too little to understand the world. He wanted to keep them with him, safe and protected for always. But life didn't work that way, and keeping them small would mean never getting to see them grow.

Hugo's growth continued to be an exceptional joy, watching him go from an awkward child to a more confident teen. Very much like how Neville was at school, Ron would think sometimes. Rose's growth, on the other hand, terrified him. She was too much like Ginny: too smart, too beautiful, too free-spirited for her own good.

And Rose didn't have any older brothers to look out for her. If Ginny had dated Draco Malfoy, she would have had all her brothers to answer too. But Rose only had her father, and, as Ron took a moment to think about it, he was severely outnumbered.

"Dad?"

Ron jumped at the sound of his son's voice. He's been too lost in thought to realize anyone else had entered room. "Yes, Hugo?"

Hugo bit his lip briefly, and Ron knew this was a conversation neither of them would be completely comfortable with. "Do you not like Scorpius?"

Ron sighed again. This was definitely not a conversation he wanted to have. "It's not that I _don't_ like him . . ." he tried to explain.

"You don't like his father," Hugo supplied.

"No. I mean, yes, but . . ." How could he possibly explain this? "It's complicated."

Hugo nodded as though he understood, but Ron doubted he did. "He's not a bad guy."

"I don't think he is," said Ron, honestly. "But that's not the point."

"Then why won't you talk to him?"

"Because," Ron searched for a simple answer. This wasn't like talking with Harry or Hermione. Somehow it was hard to put up barriers when he talked with his children. He felt like he had to be more honest with them. "Because he's dating your sister."

Hugo looked confused at that explanation. And Ron sighed again. He realized there was no easy explanation. "Son," he said, "When you are old enough to have children of your own, you'll understand."

Hugo was silent for a while. Ron knew he had more questions but he wasn't sure how to ask them in conjunction with the previous exchange. "So . . . you don't have a problem if I think he's cool?"

Ron laughed. "If you've made a new friend, Hugo, I don't mind at all."

"Okay," said Hugo. He wavered on the stop for a moment before dashing back upstairs.

Ron shook his head. Hugo was still a very odd child, but he was getting better.

Ron stood up and made himself a cup of tea. He had drunk half of it and was back in his chair when his daughter entered the room. Ron wondered if Hermione had set his children up to talk to him or, as was more likely the case, she just instinctively knew that they wanted to talk to him and so she had given them the opportunity.

"I suppose you want to talk about Scorpius?" He asked his daughter.

She nodded, and Ron patted the chair next to him.

She sat down. "Do you not like him?"

Ron sipped his tea. "As I just very recently explained to your brother: I don't _not _like him."

"Then," she said. "Will you talk to him?"

"No."

"But," said Rose, "he wants to talk to you."

Ron had not considered this possibility before, and it took him a moment to respond. "I don't want to talk to him."

"But, you said you think he's all right."

Ron could see his daughter was getting frustrated, and he tried to explain. "Rose, Scorpius could be the son of a Chudley Cannon player, and I still wouldn't want to talk to him."

Rose was taken aback. "I don't understand. Why won't you speak with him?"

Ron felt like he was talking to Hugo again. There were some things that just couldn't be explained easily. Eventually he found the words he was looking for, and he took his daughter's hand. "You're my little girl, Rosie. You always will be. And any guy who comes into my house wanting to take you from me is not going to be any guy I want to talk to."

She was silent for a moment. Then tears started running down her face. Ron immediately started wondering what had done wrong. "Wha-what is it? Did I say something wrong?" he asked, drawing her to him.

She sobbed into his shoulder. "I thought you were mad at me."

If Ron's wand had been within reach he might have cursed himself. "Oh, Rosie." He pulled her from her chair into his so she was sitting in his lap like she used to when she was little. "Rosie, I could never be mad at you."

He held her and soothed her, like the time she'd cried after the neighbor boy had made fun of her freckles. "Rosie, I'm so sorry. I was never mad at you. I just . . ." Just what? He asked himself. What had been so upset about?

Rose would be seventeen in a year. She would be an adult, ready to leave the nest. Not only that, but she'd brought a boy home for the first time. He could see where this was going, and he didn't like it. So he'd brooded to himself, but he hadn't meant to isolate his daughter.

They sat in silence for a while, holding on to each other. Ron caressed his daughter's hair while internally contemplating his stupidity.

"I'll talk to him."

Rose pulled her face from his shoulder. "What?" It pained him to see how red her eyes were.

"I'll talk to him," he said again. "Send him down, and I'll talk him."

A smile broke out over her face and she rushed from his lap. Ron felt his stomach drop at how quickly she'd left. He couldn't help but feel that soon Rose would leave his house just as quickly.

* * *

><p>Scorpius didn't know what to expect as he walked downstairs. Rose's tear stained face had certainly alarmed him. But she assured him with the biggest smile had ever seen that everything was all right and that her father wanted to talk to him. So with that mixed signal and no explaination, he entered the living room.<p>

Mr. Weasley was sitting in a chair and had set up another one directly across from him. He motioned for Scorpius to sit in it, which Scorpius did a little uneasily.

Mr. Weasley leaned forward and put his hands together. "I heard you wanted to talk to me."

"I did? Oh!" said Scorpius, finally realizing what this talk was all about. "Yes, I did."

Mr. Weasley nodded for him to continue.

"Well, um," Scorpius quickly gathered his thoughts. "I know the tension between you and my father, and, well, while I don't understand that history, I want you to know that I am not my father."

Mr. Weasley nodded again. "I've noticed that." He seemed bored, like he was waiting for Scorpius to get to the point.

"Uh," This talk was much more stressful than the one he'd had with Mr. Potter. "I also wanted you to know that I care about your daughter very much, and I wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

"Good to know." Another nod.

"And, well," Scorpius bit his lip. "I know you're not happy about Rose and I dating. And while I don't expect your approval, I . . . I would like to know we are not doing this against your wishes. What I mean to say, sir, is I'd like to know I have your permission to date your daughter."

Mr. Weasley didn't seem to have been expecting that. He leaned back in his chair and wrung his hands slowly in thought. "You're right," he said after a moment. "I cannot give you my approval, and while I can't say I wish for you and Rose to date . . . you both deserve to know that you do not have go behind my back."

"So . . ?" said Scorpius, wanting to be clear.

"You have my permission," said Mr. Weasley. "In fact, you've always had it."

"Thank you, sir," said Scorpius, smiling.

"But," said Mr. Weasley, and Scorpius' smile dropped as Rose's father leaned forward and pointed at him. "If you hurt her . . . I know where you live."

Scorpius nodded. "Yes, sir."

"So you better keep her happy."

"Yes, sir." Scorpius continued nodding, not knowing whether to smile or not.

Mr. Weasley leaned back in his chair. "Right then." He grabbed his tea cup, then stood from the chair and went into the kitchen.

Scorpius didn't head back upstairs until he was sure he was safe to go.

* * *

><p>Hermione slid into bed next to her husband that night and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm proud of you," she whispered.<p>

"It wasn't easy," he said, reaching for her.

She embraced him and felt moisture against her shoulder. "Oh, Ron." She kissed the top of his head. "It's not like you are giving her away."

"It won't be long now," he told her.

She caressed his hair. "I know," she said. "Pretty soon it will just be me and you again."


	4. The Malfoys

Scorpius guiltily pocketed the money Mrs. Weasley gave him for his school supplies as they entered Diagon Alley. He tried to tell her he didn't want or need it, but it was mute point. He had earned some money over the summer by doing odd jobs for the wizarding families in Rose's neighborhood, but it wasn't anywhere near enough what he needed for school. And though he kept hoping, he had no guarantee his parents would miraculously take him back in again.

"Come on," he said, taking Rose's hand, and they started down the street together.

"Don't you want to get your books first?" she asked as they passed Florish and Blott's.

"No," he said, continuing to lead her down the street. "We're stopping at Gringott's."

"But," she said slowly, "you can't get into your account."

"I know." He couldn't explain, not just yet. If he did, she'd more than likely run in the opposite direction.

"Scorpius, I don't-"

"I know. Just trust me."

At last they made it to the white marble building. And there, standing on the steps and scanning the crowd, was Scorpius' parents.

Rose pulled back just like he knew she would.

"It's all right," he told her.

"All right?" she said. "They're not going to want to meet me! You should have warned me! Are they even expecting to meet me with you?"

"You wanted to meet them," he said, "and this was the only thing I could think of. Come on." He gave her arm a gentle tug, and she stepped forward with him.

At last his parents noticed him, and they looked as taken aback as Rose had been. But they didn't turn away. Scorpius knew they were too proper for that. They stood on the spot and waited for Scorpius to come up to them.

"Mum, dad," he said before they had a chance to speak. "This is Rose." He turned to her. She looked small and shy standing on the step behind him. He put his arm around her waist, and she stepped up next to him. "We're dating," he continued. "You don't have to like it. I just ask that you accept it as reality."

His parent's stood in silence, looking from him to Rose. Scorpius didn't know if Rose could see it, but he could tell they were caught off guard and didn't know what to say.

"It's nice to meet you," said Rose, filling the silence.

It seemed to snap his mother out of her trance. She touched her husband on the arm, and he looked at her. Their eyes met, and then Draco Malfoy's gaze fell and he took a deep breath.

"Son," he said, turning to Scorpius. "Your mother and I have been discussing it, and we would like to welcome you back home."

Scorpius nearly gasped. He could not believe what he was hearing. A smile nearly broke out on his face. But Rose gave his hand a congratulatory squeeze, and he remembered that things weren't entirely settled. "And Rose?" he asked.

His father pursed his lips, started to speak, and then looked down at his folded hands.

Scorpius' mother put a hand on her husband's arm. "You are allowed to date," she said to her son. "If the relationship has continued through to next summer, then we will talk further."

Scorpius wasn't entirely happy with that response, but he would take it. He could discuss the situation more with his parents later. For now, he had gained a small victory. He turned and smiled at Rose.

"Come," said his mother. "We're going to reopen your account." His parents turned to head up the stairs.

"And Rose can some too," Scorpius said after them.

His parents stopped and turned halfway on the stairs. His mother still had her hand on his father's arm. "Rose . . . can come too," she said. Then his parents turned and continued up at the stairs.

"You sure about this?" Rose whispered.

"Nope," he said, squeezing her hand, but he was smiling.

* * *

><p>Once they had left Gringotts, Scorpius secretly passed Rose the bag of gold Mrs. Weasley had given him. He thought it was probably best if his parents didn't know about it.<p>

As the four them walked down the street, Scorpius' parents barely said one word to Rose. They walked in such a way that kept Scorpius to one side of them so as to interact with Rose as little as possible. Scorpius kept his arm around her so she didn't feel neglected.

Eventually Rose got up the courage to ask his parents questions, such as what they did for work. His parents answered out of propriety but their responses were as short as possible. Scorpius gave her side a squeeze or kissed her cheek at every question to keep her encouraged.

The real test came when they ran into the Weasleys at the Apothecary. Both sets of parents came to a sudden halt, surprised at the reunion. Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy both placed their hands on their son's shoulder, and Scorpius didn't know if it was a protective reflex or not.

Hugo looked uncertainly at his father whose gaze was fixed on Draco Malfoy. Apparently deciding this was not a situation he wanted to be brought into, he stepped to the side to stand next to his sister. Mr. Weasley's hand fell, and he turned in confusion to look as son.

Something about this incident caused Scorpius' father to look at him. Upon realizing Scorpius was still attached to Rose, Mr. Malfoy let go of his son and took a step back. Suddenly it was just Rose and Scorpius standing between two families. It was clear from the tense gazes between both sides that they were an unwanted bridge between the two.

It was the mothers who started the truce.

Hermione nodded politely at Scorpius' mother. "Astoria."

Mrs. Malfoy swallowed. "H-Hermione." Scorpius wondered if his mother had ever called Mrs. Weasley by her first name.

Mrs. Weasley nudged her husband, who looked indignant but then nodded curtly at Scorpius' father who nodded back, though without looking at him.

"Do you have everything you need, Rosie?" ask Mrs. Weasley into the silence.

"Not yet," said Rose. "I still need a few things."

Mrs. Wealsey waved her daughter forward. Scorpius followed Rose to the counter. As she selected and weighed out potion ingredients, Scorpius could hear the conversation continuing the behind him.

"Thank you for taking our daughter around," said Mrs. Weasley, and there was all the form of sincerity in it, as though she really meant it.

"It-it was . . . our pleasure," said Scorpius' mother with some difficultly. One thing Scorpius could always count on from his parents was their need to hold up the proper end. Usually, this was done sarcastically in situations they weren't happy about. But this particular situation was one they had never encountered before.

Scorpius turned in time to see his mother kick the back of his father's shoe. "Th-thank you," he said, "for . . . housing our son."

Mr. Weasley struggled with his response. "No . . . problem . . . at . . . all." Scorpius knew enough now of Mr. Weasley's motifs from Rose that he understood her father's frustrations was not directly focused on himself.

"We might just kill our parents," said Scorpius to Rose, amused by the situation.

"Oh, I hope not," she said, turning to watch the conversation. "Do you think it will be easier once we get to Hogwarts?"

"For us, sure," he told her. "For them . . ." He really didn't know.

"Scorpius," said Rose slowly, "If this works out . . . and we, well, get married . . . what's our wedding going to be like?"

Scorpius felt a wide grin spread across his face as he imagined the spectacle that would ensue. He laughed heartily, then turned to Rose and kissed her.

"I love you," he said once they'd parted.

"I love you too," she said.

He couldn't imagine anyone else he wanted to be with, family drama and all.

* * *

><p><strong>The prequel to this story is called, "Anything You Can Do" and explores how Scorpius and Rose began their relationship. You can find it on my profile.<strong>


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